SACRAMENTO -- In a back and forth contest between two evenly matched teams, it was Southern Utah that prevailed over the Hornets, 4-3, in a Big Sky Conference tennis match Friday afternoon at the Sacramento State Tennis Courts. The match was the Hornets' home opener.
Playing in temperatures that ranged between the low to mid-50s, Southern Utah never trailed, and got a singles win from Salvador Mijares at No. 1 in three sets to break a 3-3 tie and give the Thunderbirds the 4-3 victory. A three-set win from the Hornets' Johannes Gjerdaker had just tied the match at 3-3, but Mikus Losbergs, who battled the flu all week, lost, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, to Mijares.
The loss snapped Sacramento State's two-match winning streak as the Hornets dropped to 2-4 overall and 2-1 in the Big Sky. The Hornets had just knocked off Eastern Washington and Idaho on the road last week. A win would have allowed Sacramento State to win its first three league matches for the third time in four years.
Southern Utah won its third straight while improving to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.
The Thunderbirds won what proved to be a very important doubles point, getting wins at No. 1 (6-4) and No. 3 (7-5) in two very close matches. Sacramento State is now 0-4 when losing the doubles point this season, and 2-0 when winning the doubles point.
Southern Utah took a 2-0 lead after Louis Chabut lost his match, 6-0, 6-4, at No. 3. Sacramento State, however, would tie things up at 2-2 after Donald Hall (6-2, 6-1 at No. 6) and Dom Miller (6-3, 6-3 at No. 2) won their matches in quick fashion.
After Hermont Legaspi lost his match at No. 4 (7-6, 6-4), Gjerdaker tied things at 3-3 with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 win at No. 5. That set the stage for the matchup at No. 1 singles, but Mijares was able to defeat Losbergs in another tight match.
Sacramento State will play at home again on Sunday against non-conference rival Saint Mary's at noon.


February 10, 2019
MEN’S TENNIS DOWNS SAINT MARY’S, 6-1

February 8, 2019
MEN’S TENNIS DROPS HOME OPENER TO SOUTHERN UTAH, 4-3

February 6, 2019
LOSBERGS NAMED BIG SKY MEN’S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

January 27, 2019
MEN’S TENNIS CONCLUDES TRIP TO PHOENIX WITH LOSS AT GRAND CANYON

January 26, 2019
MEN’S TENNIS FALLS TO FGCU IN FIRST OF TWO MATCHES IN PHOENIX

November 4, 2018
MEN’S TENNIS CONCLUDES FALL SCHEDULE AT THE BULLDOG CLASSIC

September 30, 2018
MEN’S TENNIS WRAPS UP SECOND FALL TOURNAMENT AT THE AGGIE INVITATIONAL